The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-09-01

on what Is C8tlcu the AtuoTiCau Niu0 Vi
the main body of the river. Advancing
beyond the path leading down to the
lesser fall, we come to that point of the
island ut which the waters of the main
river begin to descend. From hence
across to the Canadian side the ca,a-
ract continues itself in one undated
line. But the line is very far from be-
ing d rect or straight. After stretching
for some little way from the shore to u
point in the river which is reached by
wooden bridge at the end of which
stands q tower upon the rock after
stretching to this, the line of the ledge
bends inwards against the flood-in. and
in, and in, till one is led to think that
the depth of that horseshoe is immeas-
urable. 1t has been cut with no stint
ing hand. A monstrous cantle has been
worn back out of the center of the rock.
so that the fury of the waters converges.
and the spectator. rs he gazes into the
hollow with wishful eyes. faucies that
he can hardly trace out the centre OF
the abyss.
Go down to the end of that wooden
bridge, seat yourself on the rail. and
there sit till all the outer world Is lost
to you. There is no grander spot about
Niagara than this. The waters are alb
solutely around you. II you have that
power of eye-control which is so nee
essary to the full enjoyment of scenery,
you will see nothing but the water.
You will certainly hear nothing else;
and the sound, I beg you to remember.
is not an ear-cracking, agonizing crash
and clang of noises; but is melodious,
and soft withal. though loud as thun-
der 1t fills your ears, and, as it were,
envelopes them, but at the same time
you can speak to your neighbor with
out an effort. But at this place, and
in these moments, the less of speaking.
l should say, the better. There Is no
grander spot than this. Here. seated
on the rail of the bridge. you will not
see the whole depth of the fall. In
looking at the grandest works of ma
ture, and of art, too, / fancy, it is
never we'll to see all. There should
be something left to the imagination.
and much should be half concealed in
mystery. The greatest charm of a
mountain range is the wild feeling
that there must be strange. unknown,
desolate worlds in those far-off valleys
beyond. And SO here at Niagara
that converging rush of waters
may fall down, down at once
into hell of rivers for what the eye
can see. 1t is glorious to watch them
in their first curve over the rocks.
They come green as bank of emer-
aids; but with fitful, flying color, as
though conscious that in one moment
more they would be dashed into spray
and rise into air. pale as driven snow.
The vapor rises high into the air and is
gathered there. visible always rs a per-
manent white cloud over the cataract;
but the bulk of the spray which fills the
lower hollow of the horseshoe is like
o tumult of snow. This you will not
fully see from your seat on the rail.
The head of it rises ever and anon out
of that caldron below, but the caldron
itself will be invisible. 1t is ever so
far down-far as your imagination can
sink it. But your eyes will rest full
upon the curve of the waters. The
shape you will be looking at is that of
of horseshoe. but of horseshoe
miraculously deep from toe to heel;
and this depth becomes greater as you
sit there. That which at first was only
great and beautiful becomes gigantic
and sublime, till the mind is at loss
to find an epithet for its own use. To
realize Niagara you must sit there till
you SEQ nothing else than that which
you have come to see. You will
find yourself among the waters
as though you belonged to
them. The cool liquid green will run
through your veins. and the voice OF
the cataract will be the expression of
your own heart You will fall as the
bright waters fall, rushing down into
your new world with no hesitatio n
and with no dismay; and you will
rise again as the sprays rises. bright,
beautiful and pure. Then you will
flow away in your course to the un-
comprised. distant and eternal ocean.
And now we will cross the water,
and with this object will return by
the bridge out of Goat Island on the
mainland of the American side. But
as we do so let me say that one of the
great charms of Niagara consists in
this: That over and above that one
great object sof wonder and beauty.
there is so much little loveliness-
loneliness especially of water. mean.
There are little rivulets running here
and there over little falls, with pen.
dant boughs above them. and stone:
shining under their shallow depths.
As tho visitor stands and look.
through the trees the rapids glitter
before him and then hide themselves
behind islands. They glitter and
sparkle in far distances under the
bright foliage till the remembrance il
lost and one knows not which way they
run.
Having mounted the hill on the
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